BACKGROUND ART
The fabrication and assembly of many different types of panels, including aluminum, titanium, graphite carbon fiber and fiberglass fiber panels, throughout various production processes requires drilling. Currently, undesirable dust particles and chips are produced in an uncontrolled manner when drilling operations are performed. Left unchecked, the production of dust particles and chips may potentially pose several risks to both the quality of the product being produced and the health of the technician. The afore-described concerns result from spread of the typically small dust particles and chips to the surrounding area. The risk is especially critical when the panel being drilled is a metallic panel and electrical components are placed in the surrounding area. The health of the technician may be an issue where dust or chips from carbon graphite or fiberglass fiber panels collects on the technician's skin or is inhaled by the technician.
Accordingly, manufacturers and technicians have come to realize the need and benefit of vacuum attachment devices for drill motors. However, because of the added production time involved with mounting and unmounting current vacuum attachment devices to drill motors, many technicians are tempted to abstain from using vacuum attachment devices, even though they desire the protection such devices provide. The disadvantages of current vacuum attachments force technicians to choose between maintaining proper workplace environment standards, and sacrificing valuable production time.
Prior vacuum attachment devices have also met with limited success due to a variety of additional factors, including cost, functionality, weight, material strength, and material durability. One of these prior vacuum attachments includes a body or attachment foot which is clamped to the housing of the drill motor. As the attachment foot is relatively large and formed from steel, it greatly upsets the balance of the tool, rendering tools equipped with the attachment ergonomically uncomfortable. Furthermore, as the geometry of the attachment foot is rather complex to machine, the cost of the attachment is relatively high. As large manufacturing plants may have hundreds of drill motors on hand, the relatively high cost of these attachments presents a critical issue to manufacturers desiring to implement a vacuum device for removing dust and chips.
Another drawback of the known vacuum attachment devices concerns the propensity of chips to become impacted in these devices. Accumulation of chips in these devices impairs the ability with which dust and chips are removed from the work environment. Furthermore, if the cutting tool is permitted to contact the mass of impacted chips, heat generated from friction will be generated which tends to shorten the life of the cutting tool. To alleviate chip impaction, technicians employing the vacuum attachment device must service the device on a frequent basis to remove dust and chips in an attempt to prevent chip impaction. This process can be tedious and time consuming, depending on the design of the attachment and the flow path through which dust and chips are removed. Consequently, there is a continuing need in the art for a functional and cost effective vacuum attachment device that can quickly and easily mount onto a drill motor.